A Path Analysis of Self-determination and Resiliency for Consumers Living with Mental Illness [2018]

Over the last three decades, resilience has become a key area in mental health research, practice and policy, due to its potential to positively impact on wellbeing and quality of life. Research findings have identified that resilience positively correlates with an individual’s subjective sense of well-being and decreased mental health problems. Given the potential benefits of resilience for those living with mental illness, research should examine ways in which these individuals can increase their resilience levels. One such method of examining resilience in people living with mental illness is through a motivational lens. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) lens, this study examined the potential of a proposed model for understanding the correlation and influence of motivational constructs on the resilience of people with a lived experience of mental illness. Results illustrated a goodness-of-fit for the proposed model. Results can be used to illustrate the importance of motivation and self-determination for people living with mental illness.